Our Favorite Things: The Stranieri Family

New to Shanghai and want to know where other families go to enjoy all this city has to offer? Welcome to Our Favorite Things, where we spend time with a Shanghai family and find out their favorite places for you.

Meet the Stranieri family – Melinda and Domenic, their son Domenico (8) and daughters Giuliana (6) and Allegra (3). In December 2015, with three children under the age of six, the family bravely moved from Australia to Shanghai. Now, over two and a half years later, they have well and truly settled in and embraced the positive aspects of this wonderful city. Continually finding new and exciting places to eat, shop, be active and relax is what keeps this gorgeous family happy and content with life in bustling Shanghai.

Coffee Spot

Starbucks Reserve Roastery reminds us of the Italian cafes at home in Melbourne. It's not all about the coffee here, we also enjoy their freshly-prepared pizza and cakes.

Weekend Getaway

We love boarding a plane and heading to Okinawa, Japan. A quick two-hour flight makes for an easy way to escape the pollution for a weekend and spend time together.

Under the Radar Tip

You can pretty much get everything done from the comfort of your own home including your shopping, dry cleaning, fake eyelashes, pedicures and massages. So, don’t worry if you are not ready to explore Shanghai in the early days of living here, or you don’t have enough time as everything can come to you. Just ask around, and someone will have a contact for you.

Date Night

Bike Ride Location

We hire a four-wheeled or tandem bike and ride inside Century Park. It’s an experience for the whole family. Smaller kids can’t reach the pedals, so be prepared to do all the pedaling while the kids attempt to steer!